Open Skies
by Aspenwhisker
Summary: The good have turned bad. The bright have turned dark. Shadows lurk around every corner, the tensions between all Clans at a high as a war looms closer. Terrifying visions of the future plague many, and vicious murders and betrayal leave the warriors wondering who can be trusted in this world of starless nights.
1. Allegiances & Prologue

**Open Skies**

 **Hey! Before you read this story, I have some notes about the current Allegiances.**

 **1\. Assume all cats with BLUE eyes have white colouring on them somewhere (yes I spelt colouring right I'm Australian!)**

 **2\. All Clans excluding WindClan have more cats than listed, those will just be the ones mentioned.**

 **3\. I don't care about 'traditional' names. This is my story, I'm writing this for fun and I don't want to know your opinion on my names, thanks. :)**

 **Anyway, I'm excited to be writing again, I hope you enjoy this story and I hope to make this the first in a trilogy. Reviews are encouraged, even constructive criticism or just a 'good story' or likewise is fine. Thanks for reading**

 **\- Aspenwhisker**

* * *

 **ALLEGIANCES**

 **WINDCLAN**

 **LEADER**

Harestar | A fluffy dark tabby tom with bright blue eyes

 **DEPUTY**

Sagewhisker | A short dark brown tabby she-cat with dark amber eyes

 **MEDICINE CAT**

Snowtooth | A slightly blind white tom with blue eyes

 **WARRIORS**

Cloudwing | A white tom with dark brown eyes

Greypelt | A grey she-cat with bright amber eyes

Brightfur | A thick-furred cream she-cat with hazel eyes

Fawnclaw | A short silver tabby she-cat with bright yellow eyes

Breezecloud | A dark brown tabby tom with dark blue eyes

Nightfur | A silver tom with amber eyes

Leafheart | A long-furred brown she-cat with light blue eyes

Bluetail | A long-furred silver tom with amber eyes

Lionstreak | A mottled golden-brown tom with bright blue eyes

 **APPRENTICES**

Emberpaw | A thick-furred creamy-brown she-cat with blue eyes

Skypaw | A short silver tabby she-cat with bright green eyes

Adderpaw | A fluffy ginger tom with dark blue eyes

Icepaw | A snowy-white tom with dark yellow eyes

 **QUEENS**

Spottedsplash | A tortoiseshell she-cat with hazel eyes

 _Mother of Mudkit, a brown tom and Smokekit, a silver tabby tom_

 **ELDERS**

Brightclaw | A thick-furred silver she-cat with blue eyes

Bumbleheart | A fluffy creamy-brown tom with blue eyes

 **RIVERCLAN**

 **LEADER**

Nettlestar | A soft-furred creamy-brown she-cat with dark blue eyes

 **DEPUTY**

Sootspots | A bright ginger tom with grey speckles and amber eyes

 **MEDICINE CAT**

Minnowdapple | A long-furred black she-cat with yellow eyes

 _Apprentice | Mistpaw_

 **WARRIORS**

Robinfur | A short grey tom with amber eyes

Whitesong | A black and white she-cat with yellow eyes

Splashfrost | A ginger and white tom with hazel eyes

Patchshade | A black and white tom with green eyes

Silverclaw | A fluffy dark brown tabby she-cat with silvery-blue eyes

Fernfur | A silver she-cat with dark blue eyes

Redclaw | A ginger tom with blue eyes

 **APPRENTICES**

Bearpaw | A dark brown tom with green eyes

Dawnpaw | A short snowy-white she-cat with bright yellow eyes

Snowpaw | A white she-cat with hazel eyes

 **QUEENS**

Grassfoot | A fluffy creamy-brown she-cat with bright amber eyes

Darkfeather | A short black and white she-cat with light blue eyes

 **ELDERS**

Stormpelt | A grey tom with dark hazel eyes

 **SHADOWCLAN**

 **LEADER**

Frogstar | A light brown tom with bright hazel eyes

 **DEPUTY**

Brackenstripe | A light brown tabby tom with light amber eyes

 **MEDICINE CAT**

Blackwhisker | A short black she-cat with bright green eyes

 **WARRIORS**

Redember | A heavily scarred brown tom with dark yellow eyes

Ivyflower | A pale cream she-cat with dark blue eyes

Brookflame | A fluffy grey she-cat with amber eyes

Lionpelt | A fluffy bright ginger tom with ice-blue eyes

Maplefur | A bright ginger tabby she-cat with dark green eyes

Flowerwind | A short black she-cat with bright green eyes

Muddyheart | A brown tom with hazel eyes

Icefoot | A white tom with hazel eyes

Shadeflight | A long-furred black she-cat with yellow eyes

Stonewing | A brown and white tom with green eyes

Berryflame | A bright ginger she-cat with light blue eyes

 **APPRENTICES**

Talonpaw | A dark brown tabby tom with dark yellow eyes

Hawkpaw | A short grey tom with yellow eyes

 **QUEENS**

Honeystorm | A golden-brown she-cat with light amber eyes

 **ELDERS**

Bluestorm | A crippled brown she-cat with green-blue eyes

Blazeheart | A short black tom with amber eyes

 **THUNDERCLAN**

 **LEADER**

Sleetstar | A grey tom with bright blue eyes

 **DEPUTY**

Hailfang | A grey and white tom with dark blue eyes

 **MEDICINE CAT**

Goldenwhisper | A golden tabby she-cat with light amber eyes

 _Apprentice | Longpaw_

 **WARRIORS**

Ravenfire | A bright ginger tom with dark brown eyes

Russetpetal | A light ginger-brown she-cat with amber eyes

Lilyflower | A brown and white she-cat with blue-green eyes

Whiteberry | A ginger and white tom with dark amber eyes

Raintail | A creamy-brown tom with light blue eyes

Foxwhisker | A light ginger she-cat with light blue eyes

Cedarflame | A short white tom with dark yellow eyes

Tawnyfur | A bright orange she-cat with light amber eyes

 **APPRENTICES**

Yellowpaw | A cream tom with hazel eyes

Blossompaw | A long-furred brown she-cat with dark blue eyes

Badgerpaw | A silver and white she-cat with green eyes

Sweetpaw | A dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

 **QUEENS**

Pebblestripe | A grey and white tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

 **ELDERS**

Eaglefoot | A snowy white tom with dark hazel eyes

Toadheart | A grey tom with green eyes

 **PROLOGUE**

The shivering figure of a feline slipped into the silvery light of the moon, the reeds rustling like whispers in her ear. It was a cold Leaf-fall night, the half-moon shining through the thick forest of tall grass and dappling the she-cat's dark pelt. Her paw steps grew faster, each breath letting a rush of cold mist into the midnight air.

The moss-green eyes on her face shimmered as a sense of peace washed over her as she heard the smallest feline whispers in a near-by clearing. Guilt for leaving the tensions brewing between her Clan and their ferocious neighbours as she fled for a rare moment of tranquillity raced through her, and she barely had time to gather her thoughts as she slipped her slender face through a bunch of trampled flowers to reach the glowing clearing.

The Moonpool's starry reflection made the night seem more quiet and bright, despite the distant sounds of her Clan in the deep pine forest.

"Blackwhisker, you managed to join us."

The calming voice came from the WindClan medicine cat, Snowtooth, and next to him was the smaller figure of Minnowdapple and her new apprentice Mistpaw.

"I thought you wouldn't have come, your Clan is risking a war with the darkest Clan of all, their paws drenched in blood and shadow, what if they strike tonight?"

Minnowdapple made Blackwhisker's stomach twist with anger and sadness.

"I trust Bluestorm entirely, being an early retiree makes her warrior blood itch for something to do for her Clan. She collects herbs and helps me make poultices for the injured and sick; she is practically a medicine cat without the divine intuition."

Minnowdapple purred softly. Snowtooth cleared his throat, which startled Blackwhisker.

"Shall we? I'm eager to discover what StarClan has to say to us after what we have been through these many moons."

Blackwhisker nodded, but she was more scared to find out what was to become of her Clan, if they would escape harm from their deadly enemies or would death destroy them.

Closing her forest-green eyes, she rested her head gently near the Moonpool, curling herself up, instantly feeling the cold breeze rush through her body.

She sat up swiftly; the chill aching her small bones and making her fur stick up like a frightened hedgehog. The others were asleep. _There's no way I could sleep tonight_ thought Blackwhisker sadly, gazing across the reeds towards her resting Clan.

She looked up, and was briefly startled. The moon was full, the stars none. A navy blue blanket of openness was above her. _Where are the stars?_

Her thoughts were echoed by another, someone living. Blackwhisker scurried through the tangles of bushes, and she reached the end of the stream, bordering WindClan and ThunderClan. A tiny she-kit and her mother sat by the calm water's edge, the ripples gently lapping the she-kit's paws as she squealed with excitement.

The mother licked her daughter's fur lovingly.

"My beautiful, they have been gone for seasons upon seasons. Any stories those elders have been telling you are completely untrue. They won't come back, there's no hope for a divine afterlife, my dear."

The mother licked her again, and Blackwhisker stifled a gasp. _The stars are gone? Where am I?_ She looked around. The lake seemed normal, though for very early morning, there were a lack of border patrols and prey running around the territories.

"But Mother, the elders have moved."

"Oh, Sorrel, they won't shut up with their stories until they pass away."

 _They're rouges? Loners? They can't be kittypets, they look like wild cats. Why would loners have elders, they have neither Clans nor hierarchy?_

"Tell me about the warriors who lived here."

The mother's face grew dark, but she sighed, closed her eyes, and pulled her kit closer, the chilly winds returning. Blackwhisker's eyes glowed under the full moon's light, the reflection in the running stream forcing her to take cover behind a tangle of bracken and thistle. _Much like old den covering_ thought Blackwhisker.

"Many, many seasons ago, there were four Clans living near the lake. WindClan, who lived on those very moors over there, were small, but swift, they were runners and very muscular, their sense of direction and knowledge of hunting were superb. RiverClan, the swimming cats, who lived by the river, had a bountiful supply of fish all year round, fierce fighters and loyal Clanmates."

Blackwhisker looked up and down the territories as the mother spoke. _I must be dreaming_ she thought, hoping she'd wake up from this twisted universe.

"ShadowClan, cats who dwelled in the shadows, they were the best fighters of them all, they were fiercely loyal and incredibly courageous, stubborn and dark, some may say, but as the Clans grew to an end, they were a force of warriors to be frightened of."

The medicine cat felt tears prick her green eyes. Her beloved ShadowClan, gone.

"The last Clan, formerly the bravest heroes of the four Clans since the beginning of the first five Clans, turned dark, bloodlust and a thirst for battle grew over their golden hearts. They killed any descendants of kittypets, of whom they were the only kittypet accepting Clan, they brought in the most dangerous rogues from the bad parts of Twoleg dwellings and they brought havoc and mayhem to the Clans until their final day."

Blackwhisker whimpered, the mother looking up and shuffling her kit even closer to her dark brown fur.

"So what happened to the stars, Mother?"

"ThunderClan stole them from the sky."


	2. Chapter One - The Words Never Spoken

**Open Skies**

 **CHAPTER ONE**

 **The Words Never Spoken**

* * *

"It's completely unfair, how could _Lionpaw_ , oh, I meant Lionstreak, become a warrior before you, Emberpaw?"

A small silvery she-cat was walking next to a taller cream-brown she-cat, rambling on about the recent ceremony for a former apprentice. Emberpaw shrugged. She was just happy the very obnoxious tom had finally left the apprentice den, making more room for her and Skypaw.

Skypaw's mouth continued to move, producing more and more sounds as Emberpaw's thoughts drifted off, staring across the camp's flattened grass clearing to the tall and dark oak trees of ThunderClan.

"What are you looking at?"

Emberpaw was startled for a moment, and looked down upon her closest friend. "ThunderClan," she responded quietly, arching her neck to spy a closer look. Unfortunately, the reeds around the stream blocked the border, so Emberpaw couldn't see anything clearly.

"Looks can kill, Emberpaw, but looking can't kill," purred Skypaw. Emberpaw smiled a little and nudged the silver she-cat affectionately.

"I wonder what they're plotting next. Poor ShadowClan, I almost feel bad for them," mumbled Emberpaw, her blue eyes drifting to the thick pine forest, spying a cautious looking border.

Skypaw shrugged. "I guess ThunderClan has finished with us."

Emberpaw nodded abruptly. WindClan and ThunderClan fought like two diseased wolves, with no purpose but blood and letting out anger and long tensions between the two Clans. After the infamous kittypet massacre of ThunderClan, it seemed WindClan was next on their execution list. Luckily, Harestar, then a very young tom, was strategic and reintroduced the tunnelling system, and managed to outwit the bloodthirsty ThunderClanners into a ceasefire and an uneasy truce.

The apprentice looked down for a moment, as Harestar walked past the two, talking to his deputy, Sagewhisker.

"I just can't get Frogstar to agree. He's independent and smart, for sure, but there's no way he can defeat that Clan without help," meowed the leader, sounding very frustrated.

Skypaw looked a little worried. Emberpaw brushed the top of her head with her muzzle affectionately, trying to make Skypaw's nerves settle.

"ShadowClan has always been the best Clan fighters. There's no way ThunderClan would win against such a big force."

Skypaw shrugged uncertainly, and Emberpaw sighed and turned her gaze away from the forests beyond the lake.

"At least it's not us, Skypaw," said Emberpaw, almost with a sigh of relief, but restraining from that as she felt a pang of guilt, remembering what had happened to her Clan during those terrible moons of war and death.

"Hey, Emberpaw," came a yell from the other side of camp. Emberpaw swivelled herself around to face her mentor, Bluetail, who was by the fresh-kill pile, a measly lump of rabbit carcass and three wrens were the only prey there.

"Come on, hunting patrol," he snapped. Emberpaw smiled a little. She loved hunting, almost as much as fighting, she loved to run after the prey, running made her forget about the darkness and concentrate on the breeze rushing through her thick brown fur, cooling her as she ran and pouncing on her meal.

Bluetail nodded at Sagewhisker, who was organising patrols, and she nodded to Emberpaw. Fawnclaw and Icepaw were also joining them on the hunting patrol. Stifling a moan of frustration, Emberpaw stormed up to Bluetail and blatantly ignored any words from Icepaw's mouth.

"Fawnclaw, can we go to the ThunderClan border today?"

Bluetail scoffed a little, and Icepaw realised his comment was a little insensitive, so he put on his innocent face and looked down, sending out anxious feelings and Emberpaw knowing he didn't feel a pang of guilt for any Clan.

"Would you like to be killed, you stupid mouse-brain," snapped Fawnclaw aggressively. Her bright yellow eyes pierced through her young apprentice.

"But I want to go on an adventure."

Bluetail rolled his eyes. "The only adventure you'd go on is a trip to StarClan if you go a paw-step near their borders."

The patrol began to move towards the lake, towards the ruins of the old Farmplace. Bluetail put his long silvery tail in front of Emberpaw's chest suddenly, and she stopped to a halt, watching as Fawnclaw and Icepaw argued their way down to the riverbank.

"I'm sorry about today, Emberpaw, I asked Harestar about your ceremony, and he insisted you weren't ready yet. I don't know about any apprentice who has been more ready than you. When I was a warrior, I just got pushed in with my siblings, who were definitely ready, I was more like Icepaw."

Emberpaw giggled. Bluetail could never be as stubborn and annoying as Icepaw, and he was a fine warrior, his first battle being the last one against ThunderClan, where Bluetail helped to build tunnels under the stream, surprisingly already finding a mysterious tunnel system, and outwitting ThunderClan into surrender and a truce, which could be broken at any moment.

Bluetail's amber eyes followed a rustling sound in a clump of blueberry bushes. "I'll meet you here in a bit, make sure to find whatever you can; we're running low on prey."

Emberpaw nodded, going the opposite direction to her mentor, heading towards the outskirts of the WindClan territory.

Her blue eyes flashed a little as she saw a flash of black and white. A fat magpie was plucking its feathers, it was completely unaware. Emberpaw got into her pouncing position, and raised her haunches.

"Icepaw!" She heard a yell from a fox-length away. The magpie, startled by this shriek, flew away, and Emberpaw growled. She saw the short silver figure of Fawnclaw clambering through the thick wild grass.

"Have you seen Icepaw? I thought he would have been with you since he wasn't with Bluetail."

Emberpaw shook her head, feeling frustrated at her lack of a magpie in her paws.

"In StarClan's name, maybe he went to the ThunderClan border…by himself."

~l**l~

The reeds were heavily trampled, by many paw-steps running over them during darker times. The midday sun wasn't scorching, as it was early Leaf-bare, but this Leaf-bare wasn't as cold as it usually was. The trees in the distant forests were bare, yet several still had a flourish of green foliage in the depths.

"Icepaw, you mouse-brained idiot," yelled Fawnclaw with fury dripping from her fangs. Emberpaw was reluctant to go with Fawnclaw and Bluetail, as she really didn't care about Icepaw or his whereabouts. She just wanted to leave the ThunderClan border.

It was a struggle to ignore the stench of death.

Bluetail stayed protectively close to Emberpaw, yelling out Icepaw's name with a similar anger to Fawnclaw, but a tinge of fear edged his words, making Emberpaw also uncertain.

"Emberpaw, go, we need prey. We'll sort this out," said Fawnclaw harshly, stress filling her voice as she continuously called for her apprentice.

The apprentice looked at her mentor for permission. Bluetail nodded, barely looking at Emberpaw as he sniffed the air for a trace of Icepaw.

Emberpaw ran off, her sleek figure darting through the tall wildflowers, ignoring the smell of rogues that wafted from the clan beyond the stream.

After treading carefully and quietly down the rocky border, she made a sharp turn towards the lake, smelling a water shrew in the air.

She pointed her nose in the direction of the smell, spying a rustle in the bushes. She once more proceeded to calm herself down, raised her haunches, and sprung to the water shrew. But it seemed this shrew could talk.

"Ow, ow, get off me," came a high pitched tone. Startled, Emberpaw jumped off the feline, and smelt a suspicious smell.

"Adderpaw, what in StarClan's name are you doing here you absolute dung-brain," hissed the apprentice with ferocity. Adderpaw ignored her anger and smirked an annoying smirk, which made Emberpaw's blood boil.

She sniffed the air, and realised the smell of Icepaw was close by. "Where is that flea-furred idiot you call your friend," hissed Emberpaw.

"We thought it would be a good idea to see who could go the furthest into ThunderClan's territory. Don't worry; we rolled ourselves in mud first," said Adderpaw, like nothing was wrong and this was completely fine. Emberpaw unsheathed her claws and sunk them into the cold dirt below her.

"Are you insane? ThunderClan would rip out his eyes and shove them down his throat if they caught him on their territory," snapped Emberpaw, staring through the reeds to try and spot Icepaw.

Adderpaw shrugged. Emberpaw frantically looked for her mentor or Fawnclaw, but she couldn't spot them anywhere. It wasn't that she was a tattle-tale; it was just that she didn't want to give ThunderClan another reason to fight and destroy WindClan.

"Come on, call for your friend and let's go," meowed Emberpaw, with less anger and more worry, for the smell of ThunderClan was growing stronger.

"No way, Icepaw has probably reached their camp by now, he's so awesome," yelled Adderpaw with enthusiasm. Emberpaw dreaded to think what would happen if Icepaw had reached the gorge where ThunderClan's camp resided.

A sound in the grass behind her made Emberpaw jump, but she was quickly relieved to see her mentor emerging from a patch of tall daises to greet her.

"Adderpaw, what are you doing here?" he snapped. Fawnclaw was beside him, her short figure still threatening to the young apprentice.

Emberpaw lashed her tail furiously as Adderpaw said, "I got lost."

Bluetail groaned with frustration and Fawnclaw angrily glared at him. "Your mentor is probably worried about you; do you want Brightfur to cuff your ears until it hurts?"

Emberpaw smirked. Brightfur was the cruellest and most arrogant warrior she knew. Luckily, Emberpaw knew all about what pain Adderpaw would be in if Brightfur cuffed his ears. After all, Emberpaw was born from and raised by Brightfur.

"Where's Icepaw?" snapped Fawnclaw, looking flustered as well as mad.

"I have no id-."

There was a yowl from the distant bushes. All four WindClanners looked up to spy a muddy looking Icepaw.

Behind him was a group of savage looking scarred rogues, bloodlust in their eyes, storming onto WindClan territory.

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 **Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be up early next week hopefully. Reviews encouraged and wanted! Thank you :)**


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